Automobile parking and storage towers



July 5, 1960 H. A. HoHMAN AUTOMOBILEv PARKING AND STORAGE TOWERS Filed Oct. 22, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR HAR RY AHOHMAN E: y 3 RT-fnvl July 5, 1960 H. A, HoHMAN 2,943,725

AUTOMOBILE PARKING AND STORAGE TOWERS Fiied oct. 22, 195e 4-sheetssheet 2 HARRY A HOH MAN BY E Hr-roRN EY July 5, 1960 H. A. HoHMAN 2,943,725

AUTOMOBILE PARKING AND STORAGE TOWERS Filed Oct. 22, 1958 FIGA 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOA HARRY A. HOH MAN I l BY l ammew July 5, 1960 H. A. HOHMAN 2,943,725

AUTOMOBILE PARKING AND STORAGE TOWERS Filed Oct. 22, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 11179K 11g@E D110.1011 1121.10@

HARRY A. HOI-IMAN nited States Patent Harry A. Hohman, '4 Beverly Road, Newton Highlands 61, Mass.

. This invention relates generally to tower-type automobile parking and storage machines, known also L as elevator storage garags, and particularly` to Vthat type of storage garage wherein automobilesare transported vertically upon individual Vparking `platforms by. endless elevator or conveyor chains to diifervent elevations in a tower structure and are disposed in storage positions therein in vertical .tiers upon such movable parking plat-` forms. More especially, it has particular reference .i to new and` useful improvements in automobile parking and storage tower garages of `the typeV having a pair vof spaced vertical shaftways arranged side by side, in each of which there are disposed a plurality of vehicle storage or parking platforms which are detachably connected to endless elevator or conveyor chains and arranged for simultaneous movement in a pair of oppositely moving columns in said shaftways.v In such type of tower lgarage,.the uppermost ascending and the lowermost descending vehicle `storage platforms,-upon reaching the top'and the bottom terminal ends respectively of the tower shaftWayS, are adapted to: be horizontally shifted individually. from one shaftway;

laterally thereof into the corresponding terminal end of` the adjoining shaftway for subsequent movement either downwards or upwards, as the case may be, in the re-` spective shaftways into which have been transferred suchtop and bottom platforms 4 vThe invention has for one of its objects the provision of 4novel and improved means which will' eiect the horizontal shifting of a vehicle storage platform at the top and botto-rn terminal ends of the vertical shaftway ofa tower garage structure into the corresponding terminal ends of an adjoining vertical shaftway thereof intermit-` 1 Iltently with the step-by-step ascending and descending'. vertical movements of the two columns of platforms in the respective shaftways.

Another object of the invention is to provideV a means for laterally transferring such top and bottom end vehicle storage platforms While succeeding ascending and descending columns of platforms are stopped in theirv respective',

vertical shaftways.

A further object of the invention is to provide means;l to automatically take up normal slack and stretching tend,r r f encies in the endless conveyor or elevatorchains which vertically move the vehicle storage platforms in theishaft'i ways, and also in the endless chains for laterally transferring a platform upon reaching the top and bottom ends of such vertical shaftways.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a specific embodimen-t thereof, when taken :in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic view in side elevation of an a section taken on the line 1A-1A of' Y Patented July 5, 1960 Fig;y 2- is a viewin front elevation, on larger scale, of the top and bottom towerportions of the Fig. l vehicle storage machine or tower garage as viewed from the rightend of Fig. 1; t

Figs. 3A and 3B are detail views taken on lines 3A--3A and :5B-3B respectively of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the Fig. 1 storage machin or garage structure;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of one of the vehicle storage and supporting platform units;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 6- of Fig. 5; g

Fig. 7 is anvend elevational view of the Fig. 5 parking and storing platform as viewed from the'right end of Fis- 5;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary View, partly in section and partly in elevation, showingrone of the wheel supporting and housing boxes affixed to an attachment link of one ofthe elevator or conveyor chains of the Fig. l vehicle storage machine, and by which each vehicle storage platform is supported at its four corners, this arrangement being, of course, applicable to all of the corner Wheels of the various vehicle supporting platforms for removably connecting vthem to their respective elevator chains in the vertical shafts of the garage tower; v

Figs. 9A-9L are diagrammatic front elevations show-y ing the step-by-step manner in which automobiles are successively placed into loading positions in thetower structure o-f my storage 'machine and also when the latter has attained full car storage; and

Figs. 10A and 10B are diagrammatic front elevations showing two sequentialsteps passed through `in'unloadingfan automobile from aparticular storage position,V

Referring to the drawings, particularly to Figures lV and 2 thereof, the invention is shown applied to a park-. ing and storage machine or tower vgarage T `having an open framework 10 o-f reinforced concrete and/or steelv provide a pair of parallel vertical shaftways I and Il' disposed side by side, as indicated in these gures of the' drawings, and each being of generally rectangular shape.`

The top end extremities of the corner columns 12 are connected together at lthe four sides 'of the tower structure by suitablehorizontal brac-ing members 14. The lower ends of the corner columns 124 may be appropriately Vanchored in a suitable'concrete foundation 15 illus" trated in Figsjl and'Z.

The framework 10 may extendyertically upward from,v lthe foundation 15 to"any desired height, and it maj/"halveV4 either an open skeleton -form as here-illustra'ted or, iffv desired, it may -be'completely enclosed by Ysidewalls and" Va roof to form a garage building. l

Mounted at the top of the tower structure-T and lo.-

` cated on a suitable crossbrace member V16 is an'electric motor M, of reversible type, which operates the 'movable portion of the vehicle storagemachine thro-ugh gearin and endless chains, hereinafter to be described in detail,`

to raise and 'lower in the shaftways I and Il -a plurality of platforms 17 arranged to support and store parkedl automobiles. The motor M also provides the motive power for moving the individual vehicle supporting plat',- forms 17 from the shaftway I to the othershaftway',II",A

and vice versa, upon reaching thehighest andflowest Vpointsof Itheir vertical'travel in these 4respective shaft-i" ways. This horizontal shifting and lateral transferring of the topmost platform of one column and the lowermost platform of the other column takes place simultaneously and upon arrival of a descending platform 17 at the bottom end. of the shaftway II and an ascending platform` 17 at the upper' end of shaftway I.

As seen in Figs. l, 2 and 4, the motor M isprovided with an output shaft 18 having secured to itsouter end a driving gear 19 which engages and turnsl a gear 20. A pinion 21 is rigidly attached to and concentric with gear Z and turns a gear 22. The gear 22. is rigidly attached to and concentric with twointermittent gears 23 and l24 (see Fig. 4). As these gears revolve together, the teeth of gear 24 turn gear 25. A gear 26 having the same diameter as gear 25 and concentric with it, issecured to the same shaft 27 as gear 25. Gear 26 turns gear 28 which is fast on the shaft 29 carrying the sprockets S-1 and S-Z. This motion operates the system of endless chains C-1, C-2 and C-3, Sprockets S-1 to 18, and their respective shafts to raise the column of vehicle storage platforms 17 in shaftway I and at the same time toeffect lowering of those of the other column in shaftway II.

Intermittent gear 24- moves the platform 17` vertically one position at a time. Then the teeth of intermittent gear 23 move gear 30 which, through gear 31 of the same size as gear 30 and flxedly secured to the same shaft as gear 30, turns gear 32 which is fast on one end of a transmission shaft 34 that carries sprockets S19 and S-20 over which run chains C-4 and provides the horizontal motion to the platforms at the top and bot-v tom ends ofthe shaftways I and II. Idler sprockets S-21 through S26 guidethe endless chains C-4 in their lateral and vertical passage around and across the framework 10.

This motion, through endless chains C-4, sprockets S'-19 through 26, and horizontal tracks 33, moves the highest platform 17 in shaftway I coplanary across and into the top position in the adjoining shaftway II and, at the same time, transfers the lowest platform 17 in the shaftway II laterally thereof across and into the lower positiony in the other shaftway I. After this horizontal motion, the teeth of intermittent gear 24 again engage with gear 25 to convey the tiers of platforms vertically in oppositely moving columns in shaftways I and II. This horizontal and vertical motion is intermittent and alternates as the teeth of one intermittent gear 23 and then the other intermittent gear 24 operate the respective gears tangent to it. Only one tangent gear is turned at a time, the other remaining stationary as its intermittent gear continues moving, Gear 26 turns one revolution and stops. The circumference of gears 25 and 26 is equal to the vertical elevation of each vehicle supporting platform 17 from one storage area to the one next above or below, which would be about seven feet between each successive level. The circumference of each of the gears 30 and 31.should be equal to the centerline distance from one shaftway I to the other shaftway II, which is` the widthy ofA theplatforms 17 and may be about ten feet. The circumference of intermittent gears 23' and 24 and spur gear 22 each is equal to the sum of therise of one vertical position plus one horizontal shifting motion of a platform 17.

As shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, the storageplatforms 17 are of -rigid X-frame construction and each has fourV way, to theother upon reaching the top or 'bottomv endl extremities thereof, the wheels 35 are rolled along tracks 33 by the endless chain C-4 by means of upright pins 39 attached to each end of the platforms 17 respectively, and which pins become inserted periodically in certain openings in the link members of chain C-4. During such transfer of the platforms, the wheels 35 move from one set of channel boxes 3'7 within' one shaftway to be received by those within the other shaftway.

The channelv boxes 37, which removablyV house and individually supporteachwheel of a vehicle storage platform 17 during the raising and loweringv movements thereof in theshaftways I and II, are provided on both pairs of endless chains C-1 and C-2 and disposed at corresponding predetermined spaced positions or intervals thereon for simultaneous movement therewith vertically and in mutual horizontal alignment during raising and lowering movements of the tiers of platforms in the shaftways to maintain the platforms level.

Vertical angle or T guides 40 and 41 hold the channel boxes 37 and wheels 35 from tilting during vertical movements of the platforms 17.

In the operation of my vehicle storage machine the automobile to be parked or stored first is driven upon'a vacant bottom platform at street level of either shaftway I or II. As succeeding vehicles arrive for storage, an empty platform is brought down to the bottom level of the shaftway I or II. Between ascending and descending movements ofthe platforms 17 in the shaftways I and II respectively, lateral shifting at the top and bottom ends thereof of an individual platform occurs. However, when the garage is being loaded to full capacity as depicted in the diagrammatic elevations in Figs. 9A to 9L inclusive, there always will be one vacant space at the bottom level of shaftway I or II and at the top level of the adjoining shaftway II or I in order to provide for horizontal shifting of the car platforms 17 between these shaftways as the ascending car platforms are brought to the top level of shaftway. I or II for selective removal of the cars at the bottom level of shaftway` II or I' when called for.

Figs. 10A and 10B are diagrammatic elevations depict ing the steps of removing a particular car 5 to street level from its storage position in Fig. 10A which corresponds to that assumed in Fig. 9L when the garage is full. Mention is made that in the diagrammatic elevational views in Figs. 9A-9L, and 10A and 10B for the purposes of'illustration only eight vehicle storage positionsV or stations have been depicted and lettered consecutively from A through H, and in which the vehicle storage platform units 17, in this instance, are designated by sufiixed letters, such as 17a through 17g, to corre` spond with the storage stations or positions which they initially occupy and with which they are associated at the start of the first loading operation, as indicated virr Fig. 9A. The storage areas D and H have no corresponding platforms'of their own but are empty spacesl into which the top and bottom ascending and descending platforms of the two columns pass for horizontal shifting movement laterally into the adjoining shaftways I or II.Y The vehicles in these figures are numberedv l through 6 to correspond with the order in which they` enter the tower for storage.

Self-adjusting means are provided to automatically takev up slack and stretching tendencies normally occurring in4 the endless elevator or conveyor chains C-l, C2 and C-4. To this end, the lower sprockets S-13, S17,' S-231 and S-25 are rotatably mounted at the outer ends of the horizontal portion of a T-structure 45 while the sprocket' S-15 is rotatably mounted at the outer end of the depending center arm 46'of this T-structure (see Figs. 2 and 3B). Lowersprocket S11 for chain C-l also is mounted on the arm 46 and spaced on an intermediate portion thereof fromV the sprocket S-IS. Likewise, corresponding lower sprockets S-14, S-16, S-18, S-24 and S26 for the otherl chains CL2' and C-4, and sprocket S-12 for the other chain C-l are mounted in sir'n'ilar fashion on a second T-'stru'cture 45 at the opposite side of the framework 10 and within the pit .of thev concrete foundation 15. As thus arranged, the T-structures 45 are suspended by their associated sprockets from the bottom turns or lower runs of the chains C-1, C-2 and C-4 whereby the inherent weight of the T-structures acts to maintain the chains taut regardless of any stretching tendencies. lower telescoping guide devices 50 and 51 maybe providedrat opposite ends of each T-structur'e 45, `as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3; in order to prevent tilting or teetering action of the T-structures 45 thereby insuring their stabil ity at all times during operation of the storage machine.

Safety features of this construction are:

(l) Since both sprockets S-l and S-Z are attached to a common shaft Z9, they move in unison as the endless chains C-l and C-2 travel over them. If either of these chains should break, the tiers of vehicle platforms 17 in the vertical shaftway below the break would not fall because these platforms are rigidly designed and remain supported in position by the wheels 35- in the channel boxes 37 on the other three Ycorners of -these platforms.

(2) The chains C-l and C-2 will remain in position if they should break and will be held 4by the wheels 35, 'and also by the outer top sprockets S-1, S-Z, S-7 or S-S because sprockets -S-1 and' S-2 are fastened on the same shaft 29, and sprockets S-7 and S-S are fastened on the same shaft 42.

Advantages of this structural arrangement are:

(l) No oors or ramps which take up useful spacel (2) Entire space of the tower structure, approximately 5/5 'of its volume, is available for storage for a ten car unit.

(3) Multiple units of these tower structures containing the vehicle storage machine of this invention may be placed either side-by-side or' end-to-end, or both, to suit the lot dimensions.

While a specific embodiment of the invention is disclosed herein, it is to be understood that my invention is not limited thereto since various deviations or modifications can be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore those modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims also are intended to be included herein.

What is claimed is:

l. An automobile parking and storage machine comprising' a skeleton tower, a plurality of endless vertically arranged chains at two opposite sides of the tower, two verticalv columns of wheeled car receiving platforms disposed horizontally and detachably mounted on said chains, horizontally disposed track means permitting the transfer andmovement of the platforms laterally from one column to the other at the upper end of the tower, and self-adjusting take-up means at the lower end of each side of the tower at which is disposed said endless chains effective to maintain their vertical runs taut at all times, each of said takeupmeans comprising a horizontally disposedrstructure carrying sprockets around which'the bottom]y turns and lower runs of said endless chains at such location are guided and by which the said associated structure is suspended in a floating fashionin the tower, and track means disposed horizontally on each of said floating structures permitting the transfer and movement of the platforms laterally from one column to the other at the lower end of the tower.

, 2. An automobile parking and storage machine comprising an upright frame structure having two vadjoining vertical shaftways, a pair of endless chains located at two opposite sides of said frame structure, each of said chains having a vertical run in each shaftway moving in opposite directions, a second pair of endless chains one of each being disposed on the same end of the frame structure as a chain of the first-named pair Iand having a vertical run in each shaftway moving in the same direction as the vertical run of the companion chain of, the Erst-named pair 0f chains, a plurality of wheeled vehicle lstorage platforms Aypair of l getragene d Y arranged in vertical tiers to form two oppositely moving disposed columns in said shaftways, `said platforms being disposed Vhorizontally in each shaftway and detachably supported therein by the vertical runs of said irst and second pairs of endless chains in such shaftway for ascending and descending movement thereof, trackmembers disposed horizontally at the upper and lower ends of the shaftways of said frame structure and arranged to receive the wheels of the highest and lowest platforms of the descending columns in the respective shaftways upon successively reaching the upper and lower end terminus thereof for horizontal shifting movement along said tracks laterally from one shaftway into the other, a third pair of endless chains one of each being disposed yon th'same side of the frame structure as a chain of the first-named and second-named sets and having a generally rectangular course around the frame structure with vertically disposed runs parallel with and alongside the verticalruns ofY said second-named pair of chains and'having horizontal runs disposed laterally of the frame structure `across the upper and lower end portions of both shaftways andvinclose parallelism with said'track members, power-driven'rnean's operatively arranged for propelling said endless chains to effect simultaneous ascending and descending movements of said first-named and said second-named pairs of end less chains in the shaftways step-by-step and intermittently with horizontal movements of said third-named set of chains to effect simultaneous transfer of a platformlaterally from one shaftway into the other at the upper and lower ends thereof, and a l'structure at said chain located sides of said frame structure carrying sprockets around which the bottom turns and lower runs of said vertically moving chains associated with such side of the frame structure are guided, said T-structure being suspended in a floating fashion by said bottom turns of such of each being disposed on the same end of the frame structure as a chain of the iirst-named pair and having a vertical run in each shaftway moving in Ithe same direction as the vertical run of the companion chain of they first-named pair of chains, a plurality of wheeled vehicle storage platforms arranged in vertical tiers to form two oppositely moving disposed columnsv in said shaftways, said platforms being disposed ho'rizontally in each shaftway and detachably supported therein by the Vertical runs of said rst and second pairs of endless chains in such shaftway for ascending and descending movement thereof, track members disposed horizontally at the upper and lower ends of the shaftways of said frame structure and arranged to receive the wheels. of the highest and lowest platforms of the descending columns in the respective shaftways upon successively reaching the upper and lower end terminus'thereof for horizontal shifting movement along said :tracks laterally from one shaftway into the other, a third 'pair of endless power-driven means operatively arranged fo'r propelling said endless chains to effect simultaneous ascending and descending movements of said first-named and said sec-y ond-namedpairs of endless chains in the shaftways step! by-step and intermittently with horizontal movementsl of,

asser/2s said third-named set of chains to effect simultaneous transfer of a platform laterally from one shaftway into the other at the upper and lower ends thereof, and a Tstructure disposed at theV lower end of each side of the machine frame structure as that occupied by said vertically moving chains, said T-structure carrying sprockets around which are guided the bottom runs of a chain of each pair of the saidabove-named sets of endless chains and by which the associated T-structure is suspended in a floating fashion in the machine frame structure, each of said T-structures having a horizontal portion and a depending centerV arm with certain of said sprockets rotatably mounted at the outer ends of the horizontal portion of said T-structure and other of said sprocketsirotatably mounted on the depending center arm of the T-structure, the horizontally disposed track members situated at the lower ends of said shaftways being carried by said T-structures.

4. An automobile parking'and storage machine comprising a towerlike frame structure having two adjoining vertical shaftways, a pair of endless chains located at two opposite sides o`f said frame structure, each of said chains having a vertical run in each shaftway moving in opposite directions, a second pair of endless chains one of each being disposed on the same end of the frame structure as a chain of the first-named pair and having a vertical run in each shaftway moving in the same direction as the vertical run of the companion chain of the first-named pair of chains7 a plurality of vehicle storage platforms disposed horizontally and arranged in vertical tiers to form two oppositely moving disposed columns in said shaftways, each platform having four wheels of which two are at each end and disposed near the respective corners thereof, means adapted to removably house and individually support each wheel o'f a platform for raising and lowering movement thereof, said means being provided on both pairs of endless chains and disposed at corresponding predetermined spaced positions thereon fo'r simultaneous movement therewith vertically and in mutual horizontal alignment during raising and lowering movement of the platforms in the shaftways, track members disposed horizontally at'the upper and lower'ends of the shaftways of said frame structure and arranged to receive the wheels of the highest and lowest platforms of the ascending and descending columns in the respective shaftways upon successively reaching the upper and lower end terminus thereo'f, said wheel housing means being adapted to permit the wheels of said paltforms to be rolled therefrom onto said tracks for horizontal shifting movement therealong laterally from one shaftway into the other, arthird pair of endless chains one o'f each -being disposed on the same side of the frame structure as a chain 'of the first-named and second-named sets and having a generally rectangular course around the frame structure with vertically disposed runs parallel with and alongside the vertical runs of said second-named pair of chains and having horizontal runs disposed laterally'of the frame structure acro'ss the upper and lower end portionsof both shaftways and in close parallelism with said track members, power-driven means operatively arranged for propelling said endless chains to effect simultaneous ascending and descending movements of said first-named and said second-namedpairs of endless chains in thc shaftways step-by-step and intermittently with horizontal movements of said third-named set o'f chains to effect simultaneous transfer of a platform' laterally from one shaftway into the other at the upper and lower ends thereof, and a T-structure at said chain located sides of said frame structure carrying sprockets around which the bottom turns and lower runs of said vertically moving chainsk associated with such side of the frame structure are guided, said T-structure being suspended in aoating fashion by said bottom turns, of such; chains toA maintain their vertical runs; ta'ut-4 at all times.

5. An automobile parking and'v storage machine comprising a towerlike frame structure having two adjoining vertical shaftways, a pair of endless chains located at twoy opposite sides of said framey structure, each of said chains having a vertical run in each shaftway moving in opposite directions, a second pair of endless chains one of each being disposed on the same end of the frame structure as a chain of the first-named pair and having a vertical' run in each shaftway moving in the same direction as the vertical run of the companion chain of the first-namedy pair of chains, a plurality of vehicle storage platforms disposed horizontally and arranged in vertical tiers to form two oppositely moving disposed columns in said shaftways, each platform having four wheels of which two are at each end and'disposed near the respective corners thereof, means adapted to removably house and individually support each wheel of a platform for raising and lowering movement thereof, said means being provided on both pairs of endless chains and disposed at corresponding predetermined spaced positions thereon for simultaneous movement therewith vertically and in mutual horizontal alignment during raising and lowering movement of the platforms in the shaftways, track members disposed horizontally at the upper and lowerv ends of the shaftways of said frame structure and arranged to receive the wheels of the highest and lowest platforms of the ascending and descending columns in the respective shaftways upon successively reaching the upper and lower end terminus thereof, said wheel housing means being adapted to permit the wheels of said platforms to be rolled therefrom onto said tracks for horizontal shifting movement therealong laterally from one shaftway into the other, a third pair of endless chains one of each being disposed on the same side of the frame structure as a chain of the first-named and second-named sets and having a generally rectangular course around the frame structure with vertically disposed runs parallel with and alongside the vertical runs of said second-named pair of chains and having horizontal runs disposed laterally of the frame structure across the upper and lower end portions of both shaftways and in close parallelism with said track members, power-driven means operatively arranged for propelling said endless chains to effect simultaneous ascending and descending movements of said first-named and said second-named pairs of endless chains in the shaftways step-by-step nad intermittently with horizontal movements of said third-named set of chains to effect simultaneous transfer of a platform laterally from one shaftway into the other at the upper and lower ends thereof, and a T-structure disposed at the lower end of each side of the machine frame structure as that occupied by said vertically moving chains, said T-structure carrying sprockets around which are guided the bottom runs of a chain of each pair of the said' above-named sets of endless chains and by whichv the associated T-structure is suspended in a floating fashion in the machine frame structure, each of said T# structures having a horizontal portion and a depending center arm with certain of said sprockets rotatably mounted at they outer ends of the horizontal portion of said T- structure and. other of said'sprockets rotatably mounted on the depending center arm of the Tstructure, the horizontally disposed track members situated at the lower ends of said shaftways being carried by said T'structures.

6. An automobile parking and storage machine comprising -an upright frame structure having two adjoining vertical shaftways, a pair of endless chains located at two opposite sides of said frame structure, each of said chains having a vertical run in each shaftway moving in opposite directions, a second pair of endless chains one of each being disposed on the same end of the frame structure asa chain of the first-named pair and having a vertical run in each shaftway moving in the same direction as the vertical run of the companion chain of the first-named pair of chains, a plurality of wheeled vehicle storage platforms ar#- cending and descending movement thereof, track members disposed horizontally at the upper and lower ends of the shaftways of said frame structure and arranged to receive the wheels of the highest and lowest platforms of the descending columns in the respective shaftways upon successively reaching the upper and lower end terminus thereof for horizontal shifting movement along said tracks laterally from one shaftway into the other, a third pair of endless chains one of each being disposed on the same side of the frame structure as a chain of the first-named and second-named sets and having a generally rectangular course around the frame structure with l vertically disposed runs parallel with and alongside the vertical runs of said second-named pair of chains and having horizontal runs disposed laterally of the frame structure across the upper and lower end portions of both shaftways and in close parallelism with said track members, power-driven means operatively arranged for propelling said endless chains to effect simultaneous ascending and descending movements of said rst-named and said second-named pairs of endless chains in the shaftways Yste'p-by-step and intermittently with horizontal movements of said third-named set of chains to efect simultaneous transfer of a platform laterally from one sha-ftway into the other at the upper and lower ends thereof, self-adjusting take-up means provided at each side of the machine frame structure as that occupied by said chains and hanging on the lower runs of all of said chains situated on that side and adapted automatically to maintain said chains taut at all times, and telescoping guide means operatively arranged to cooperate with said take-up means to stabilize the latter and prevent tilting thereof.

7. An automobile parking rand storage machine comprising a towerlike frame structure having two adjoining vertical shaftways, ia pair ofendless chains located at two opposite sides of said frame structure, each of said chains having a vertical run in each shaftway moving in opposite directions, a second pair of endless chains one of each being disposed on the same end of the frame structure as a chain of the rst-named pair and having a vertical run in each shaftway moving in the same direction as the vertical run of the companion chain of the first-named pair of chains, a plurality of vehicle storage platforms disposed horizontally and arranged in vertical tiers to form two oppositely moving disposed columns in said shaftways, each platform having four wheels of which two are at each end and Vdisposed near the respectiveV corners thereof, means adapted to removably house and individually support each wheel of a platform for raising and lowering movement thereof, said means being provided on both pairs of endless chains and disposed at corresponding predetermined spaced positions thereon for simultaneous movement therewith vertically and in mutual horizontal alignment during raising and lowering movement of the platforms in the shaftways, track members disposed horizontally at the upper and lower ends of the shaftways of said frame structure and arranged to receive the wheels of the highest and lowest platforms of the ascending and descending columns in the respective shaftways upon successively reaching the upper and lower end terminus thereof, said wheel housing means being adapted to permit the wheels of said platforms to be rolled therefrom onto said tracks for horizontal shifting movement therealong laterally from one shaftway into the other, a third pair of endless chains one of each being disposed on the same side of the frame structure as a chain of the first-named and second-named sets and having a generally rectangular course around the frame structure with vertically disposed runs parallel with and alongside the vertical runs of saidV second-named pair of chains and having horizontal runs disposed laterally of the frame structure across the upper and. lower end portions of both vshaftways and in close parallelism with said track memp bers, power-driven means operatively arranged for propelling said endless chains to elect simultaneous ascending and descending movements of said first-named and said second-named pairs of endless chains in the shaftways step-by-step and intermittently with horizontal movements of said third-named set of chains to eiect simultaneous transfer of a platform laterally from one shaftway into the other at the upper `and lower ends thereof, self-adjusting take-up means provided at each side of the machine frame structure as that occupied by said chains and hanging on the lower runs of all of saidtchains situated on that side and adapted :automatically to maintain said chains taut at all times, and telescoping guide means operatively arranged to cooperate with said take-up means to stabilize the latter and prevent tilting thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,564,100 Morton Dec. 1, 1925 1,871,795 James Aug. 16, 1932 2,024,190 Sumi et al. Dec. 17, 1935 V2,817,446 Hodous Dec. 24, 1957 2,874,857 Coursey Feb. 24, 1959 

